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SHB destruction *graphic*

A little background info:
First year bee keeper, I have 2 hives that I set up about 6 weeks ago, they were both started from 5 frame nucs. THey were installed in basic 10 frame hives. I've been feeding sugar syrup from day one. I've also noticed beetles from the first inspection, but not over whelming, maybe 10 or 15 each time. One hive was stronger than the other from the get go but not enough to be a concern.

SHB invades:
Last week I walked to my hive to have a look at what was going on. I wasn't planning on opening them up, just look from a nice, safe, 10ish feet away. I noticed small maggots on the entrance of the weaker hive. Grabbed the suit and lit the smoker. It was awful. So I acted quickly, removed all the frames, 4 were still in great shape with no sign of damage, I threw them in a nuc box I had. About half of the bees were left behind so I put new frames with new foundation hoping to save them. Checked the other hive, no damage, pulled one frame with capped brood and put it in the nuc box with the 4 frames from the other hive.

Today:
Nuc box was toast, pictures below. Turns out my queen went with the nuc, it was the first time I had seen her. She was deformed, her abdomen was pushed in on one side. I assume I squished her at some point.

There were still plenty of bees left in the first hive, but they hadn't drawn out any comb and had no chance of surviving with no queen and no brood, eggs, ect. So I very carefully combined what was left of the first hive, with the stronger second hive. I made sure no beetles, eggs, or maggots went with them.

I first hive seemed to ignore the beetles. Interestingly, the stronger hive always seemed to have bees just chasing them around. Not sure if they were actually able to catch them, but they would constantly chase.

Anyways, I nuked the nuc and all the beetles and disgusting little creatures are dead now.

Re: SHB destruction *graphic*

SB damage is the worse. Yours is particularly bad.

I first hive seemed to ignore the beetles. Interestingly, the stronger hive always seemed to have bees just chasing them around. Not sure if they were actually able to catch them, but they would constantly chase.

That's the key to SHB control. Having enough bees in there to keep them running around. If the beetles are running around, they can't lay eggs. Also, a strong hive can take care of the larvae pretty easily too.

Anyways, I nuked the nuc and all the beetles and disgusting little creatures are dead now.

You can just clean it all up with water and let it dry. No need to nuke it all. The frames, of course, are trash.

Re: SHB destruction *graphic*

That is one of the most putrid, disgusting things I have seen in a hive. I think I would have burned it too; just for the annihilation factor. Whoever finds the way to rid America of the SHB will be a hero. Sorry you had to deal with those nasty things.

Re: SHB destruction *graphic*

cbf--I've been having a rough time with the SHB up in Birmingham as well. (Though, not as rough a time as you've been having by the looks of things...) You can expect to have them in your other hive soon. If the hive's strong they'll keep them in check.

Here's what we've tried so far:
-The little bait traps that fit between the frames up at the top. (Not great result. We've been baiting with vinegar. Suggestions for bait, anyone?)
-A slide in tray full of oil under a 1/8" screened bottom board.
-A slide in tray full of soapy water under a 1/8" screened bottom board.
-Nematodes. Don't really know if they're working yet or not. But, I'm excited about the prospect. They came in the mail & I sprayed them around the hives on Wednesday and the ground's been damp since then, which is good for nematodes, apparently.
-Shrinking the hive down. (I think this has really helped.)
-Oh, I also read that you can freeze frames to kill the beetle larvae. So, I've frozen the most beetle invested frames, which were honey supers & not brood anyway.

Anyone else have a brilliant idea for keeping the little devils in check?

Re: SHB destruction *graphic*

I just did an inspection on a nuke and I think I was 1 day from it being overrun with beetles, I saved the honey comb into a strong hive, it had very few larva but the brood comb had a bunch on it and I put it out in the sun and then hundreds and hundreds of little tiny larva came pouring out of some sealed cells, like a stampeded. I left them in the sun to suffer then froze them and gave to to a very strong nuc that is about to burst with new bees.

My question is how do you think you can transfer frames without having eggs on them? And since the larva hatch in cells and are very very little you cant be sure you dont have some of them either.

Re: SHB destruction *graphic*

I haven't tried it, but I talked with someone who said they had success with pool salt. Put a good layer of it around and under the hive. Of course, you bes be sure you don't want ANYthing growing there for a Very long time. Would ruin the soil.

Re: SHB destruction *graphic*

I used permethrin around the hives when I first discovered the infestation so hopefully that killed any that made it tot he ground.

When I nuked it, I used the permethrin. It worked nicely because the nuc acted like bait and I had many adult beetles flying in and getting in the poison.

For the strong hive, I have been opening it daily and squishing as many beetles as possible. I don't disturb the frames but I lift the brood box (single deep) from the bottom board and get to work. I saw my first "beetle jail" today. It was impressive, probably 10 beetles corralled into an indention in the wood and 5 or 6 bees guarding the entrance. This hive seems to have a much stronger reaction to the beetles presence, they chase them down, catch them, and ball up around them. I don't think it really does much but it keeps the beetles on the run.

Re: SHB destruction *graphic*

This pretty much typical of what hive beatles can do . Dont think how ever that a stong hive is a guarantee that you will be safe. This would be a big mistake. I have seen them take over a rip roaring hive over night. It's all most like they decide all to go to one hive. And just overwhelm them.

Don't think you are on the right road simply because it is a well worn pathway.

Re: SHB destruction *graphic*

Hello all I had almost identical thing happen to one of my nucs, when i found the shb overrun nuc i shook out the few remaining bees and froze the nuc box and all frames for 72 hours ( in a large plastic garbage bag )
must have been a thousand or more of the nasty little things
I placed the nuc outside afterward about 100 yds from bee yard and bees are doing something in it now (cleaning ?)

Naomi1431 please post your results with the nematods when you have them

Re: SHB destruction *graphic*

cbf, Starkville, MS here, and I am having the same thing with my hives. Earlier in the year I discovered one of my queens was laying spotty brood. Took me a week to get a queen. Replaced the old queen and felt good about the situation. The next inspection, found the shb larvae. Did what I could cleaning up the frames affected. The next week discovered that the hive had absconded, guess they felt they couldn't overcome the vermin. Today I discovered that I have a queenless hive, probably swarmed, and infested with shb larvae. It had 2 deeps and a medium on it. Thankfully the vermin were not in the super. I pulled the super and one deep that was horrible. The hive has a large population and I am hoping that squeezing them down into a single deep will help them corral the shb until I can get a new queen.